Kelly cock



May 22, 1962 w. c. GIBSON ET KELLY cocx Filed May 7, 1956 W/LFRED a. alasoM R085 A. M CLINTOGK, IVAN 0. MILLER} INVENTORS.

United States Patent Ofitice 3,035,640 Patented May 22, 1962 3,035,640 KELLY COCK Wilfred C. Gibson, Fullerton, Ross A. McClintock, Orange, and Ivan 0. Miller, Fullerton, Calif., assignors to Shaffer Tool Works, Brea, Calif.

Filed May 7, 1956, Ser. No. 583,142 7 Claims. (Cl. 166-70) This invention relates generally to valves for use in oil well drilling and relates more particularly to Kelly cocks.

While the present invention has utility in oil-short drilling operations, and will be described in connection therewith, it is to be understood that said invention has utility in other types of drilling operations.

In one stage of the well drilling operation the desired length of casing is assembled and a casing safety joint of the correct size is assembled on the upper end of the casing. This unit provides a means of remotely disconnecting or connecting to the casing during later operation. Above the safety joint is a cross-over sub to reduce to the drill to be used. In the space between the threads where the cross-over sub is attached to the safety joint a ring is suspended. In this ring a specially designed cement follower plug is held with shear pins. A hole through the center of the plug allows circulation during drilling-in operations. A drilling bumper sub is screwed into the top of the cross-over sub and the necessary length of tubing assembled as the casing is lowered to the ocean fioor. The functions of the drilling bumper sub are to provide compensation for wave motion and to manipulate the tools used to release the safety joints.

When the casing has been drilled into place the cementing operation is performed. The cement is pumped down the drill string until the necessary volume has been inserted. A small amount of drilling mud is then inserted, followed by the cement follower plug that was suspended in the cross-over sub. The plug is activated by inserting a ball into the string, said ball being pumped down the stream until it seats in the bore of the cement follower plug. This shuts oif the opening and allows pump pressure to move the cement follower plug down the casing until it seats in the float shoe.

In order to insert a ball into the string it has heretofore been necessary to break a connection in said string. This requires considerable time and expense and it involves other undesirable factors, and it is an object of the present invention to provide means for inserting a ball into the string without the necessity of breaking a connection thereof.

It is another object of the invention to provide a Kelly cock having means whereby a ball may be inserted into the string through said Kelly cock. This Kelly cock is positioned in the same location in the drilling apparatus as Kelly cocks have always been positioned.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a Kelly cock having an opening in the rotatable plug thereof through which said ball may be inserted, and a removable plug insert for said opening.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character having means for preventing removal of said plug insert when the Kelly cock is in the open position, said plug being removable only when the plug is in the closed position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character that is relatively simple in construction and operation.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention are further sufiiciently referred to in connection with the following detailed description of the accompanying drawings which represent one embodiment. After considering this example, skilled persons will understand that many variations may be made without departing from the principles disclosed, and we contemplate the employment of any structures, arrangements or modes of operation that are properly within the scope of the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a Kelly cock embodying the present invention, a portion of the device being broken away to show the interior construction, the plug being in the open position;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section through the central portion of the device which contains the operating parts thereof, the plugs being shown in the closed position; FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the outer side of the cap; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary section taken on line 44 of FIG. 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the device comprises a body, indicated generally at 10. There is an enlarged intermediate portion 11, a box part 12 at one end having the usual internal threads, not shown, and coaxial nipple carrying part 14 at the opposite end. The end parts 12 and 14 of the device are connected in the usual manner to pipes 15 and 16 respectively.

Within the body 10 is an axial flow chamber 18 having an enlarged cylindrical portion 19 within the enlarged intermediate portion 11 of the body, and a transverse cylindrical bore 20' the axis of which intersects the axis of the axial passage 18 and the enlarged portion 19 thereof. From one end of the transverse bore 20 is a reduced diameter portion which extends to the exterior of the enlarged portion 11 of the body.

Within the transverse crossbore 20 is rotatably disposed a plug 25 having a diametrical flow passage 26 therethrough which is of substantially the same diameter as the diameter of the axial passage 18.

At one end the plug has an axial extension 27 extending into the adjacent end of the reduced diameter bore portion 21. The portion 27 of the plug has a circumferential recess for reception of a suitable seal shown as comprising an O ring 28 peripherally engaging the adjacent wall of the reduced diameter bore 21. There is a reduced diameter portion 29 which extends axially outwardly of the portion 27 and is provided with a socket opening 30. This socket opening is of well known size and shape for reception of a suitable wrench or actuating tool of well known character, for rotating the plug 25.

At each side of the plug there is a cylindrical insert seal 32 disposed in the respective end portions of the enlarged bore 19. The insert seals 32 are of known construction and the inner ends thereof sealingly engage the cylindrical surface of the plug 25. While the seals 32 are of a well known construction they may be briefly described as including a generally cylindrical portion 32a of resilient material that is resistant to the action of the fluids to which it may be subjected, one such material being neoprene or the like. In the inner end portion of the body 32a there is a ring 32b imbedded therein and there is also another ring 320 disposed in an external annular recess at the outer end of said body 32a. The ring 320 has an external annular recess therein in which is disposed an annular seal such as an O ring 32d. Adjacent the end of the plug having the reduced diameter portion 27 is a peripheral or circumferential groove in which is received a suitable seal shown as an O ring 33 peripherally engaging the adjacent wall portion of the bore 20. The seal 33 is located outwardly of the adjacent point of engagement between the inner ends of the seals 32 with said plug 25. Adjacent the opposite end of the plug is a similarly arranged recess and O ring 34 and spaced outwardly therefrom is a second circumferential recess having a seal or 0 ring 35. Outwardly of the latter the plug has a reduced diameter portion 36 the inner end of which provides a shoulder 37 the plane of which is normal to the axis of the plug 25. Shoulder 37 is engaged by a snap ring 38 received in a recess provided therefor in the adjacent wall portion of the bore 29, thereby providing means for retaining the plug in operative position within the body portion 11.

The side of the enlarged body portion 111 opposite the part having the reduced diameter bore 211 is provided with a flattened surface 40 to which a cap 41 is removably secured by means of set screws 42 having head 43 disposed in counterbored recesses 44 in the cap 41. Cap 41 is of such size and is so associated with the body portion 11 as to form a complementary part thereof so that when said cap is attached to said body portion 11 the intermediate portion of the device is symmetrical.

The cap 41 is provided with an annular opening 45 which is arranged axially with respect to the plug 25 when said cap is attached to the body portion 11. At the inner end of the opening 45 said opening is provided with an enlarged portion 46 in which is rotatably received a cylindrical portion 47 of the plug which extends axially outwardly of the reduced diameter portion 36. The inher side portion of the cap 41 adjacent the outer end of the reduced diameter portion 36 engages said outer end and the outer end wall of the enlarged portion 46 of the opening in the cap abuts against the outer peripheral end portion of the extension 47 of the plug.

Plug 25 has an axial bore 50 in the end adjacent the cap, said bore extending into the passage 26 of said plug but there being a peripheral shoulder 51 at the inner ends of said bore 50. At the outer end of the bore 56 said bore is provided with screw threads 52. A plug insert 54 is received in the bore 50 and is provided with screw threads threadably received in the screw threads 52 of said bore 50. The inner end 55 of said plug insert is concave, having the same curvature as that of the passage 26 so that when said plug insert is disposed in the bore 50 said passage 26 will not be restricted. Inwardly of the threaded portion said plug insert is provided with a circumferential recess 56 in which a seal 57 is received, said seal 57 comprising an O ring. At the outer end, said plug insert 54 is provided with an annular head 59 of larger diameter than the diameter of said plug insert, said head being removably receivable in the opening 45 of the cap 41.

The portion of the cap 41 extending inwardly of the circumferential wall of the enlarged opening portion 46 is provided with an arcuate groove or recess 69 in which the head 61 of an Allen head set screw is disposed, said set screw being received in a tapped opening provided therefor in the outer end of the plug portion 47. The head 59 of the plug insert 54 is also provided with an arcuate recess or notch 63 in the periphery thereof for reception of a portion of the head 61 of said screw 62. Also at one end of the groove 60 there is an opening entirely through the tap, as at 64. The screw is so arranged with respect to the plug 25 and the groove 60 and opening 64, as Well as the notch 63 in the plug insert head 59 that said screw 62 may only be removed through the opening 64 and notch 63 when the plug 25 is in the closed position. However, the plug 25 may be rotated to the open position, the head 61 of said screw 62 then moving along in the groove or notch 60. When the plug 25 is in the fully open position the head 61 of said screw 62 will engage the adjacent end of said groove 60 thereby providing stop means for limiting rotation of the plug in one direction. The head 61 of said screw 62 will, of course, engage the opposite end of said groove '60 to limit movement of the plug in the closing direction, at which position said screw 62 may be removed to permit removal of the plug insert 54. The plug insert 54 is provided with a recess or socket 68 which extends inwardly from the outer end of said plug insert 54 and is adapted to receive a wrench or other suitable tool for 4 rotating said plug insert to remove same or to install same.

When it is desired to insert a ball 79 into the string the plug 25 is rotated to the closed position, the screw 62 removed and the plug insert 54 removed. The ball 70 is then inserted into the passage 26 of the plug 25 through the bore 56) and the plug insert then reinstalled. The screw 62 is screwed into the tapped opening provided therefor and the plug 25 then rotated to the open position. The ball is then pumped down the string until it seats in the bore of the cement follower plug. This shuts off the opening and allows pump pressure to move the cement follower plug down the casing until it seats in the float shoe.

It is felt that the invention and many of the attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it is felt that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts of the invention without departing from the spirit and the scope thereof or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore de scribed being merely by way of example.

We claim:

l. A Kelly cock, comprising: a body having an en larged intermediate portion, said body having an axial flow passage therethrough including an enlarged cylin drical chamber Within the enlarged portion of said body, and a transverse cylindrical bore the axis of which inter-- sects the axis of the flow passage; a cylindrical plug re tatably disposed in the transverse bore and having a dia metrical flow passage therethrough of substantially the' same diameter as the diameter of the axial passage of the body and registerable with said axial flow passage, said plug having a socket in one end for reception of a tool for rotating same, and a bore extending longitudinally from the other end into and of substantially the same diameter as the diametrical flow passage thereof, an outer end portion of said longitudinal bore being internally threaded; a plug insert having external threads engageable with the threads of said bore, said plug insert being concave at its inner end and having a socket recess in its opposite end and an enlarged annular head at said opposite end with an arcuate, peripheral notch; releasable means for securing the plug in the transverse bore; a cap removably attached to said body', said cap having an annular opening therethrough for reception of the head of the plug insert and having a part about the opening therethrough which overlies the adjacent end portion of the plug, said part provided at its inner side with an arcuate recess of approximately in length along said annular opening, said plug having a tapped opening in said adjacent end; an Allen head set screw in said tapped opening, the head of said screw being receivable in said arcuate recess and said arcuate notch thereby holding the plug insert against rotation, there being a hole through the cap at one end of the arcuate recess so that when said plug is rotated to a position whereat said screw head engages the end of the recess at said hole, the passage through said plug insert is out of communication with the axial passage of the body and the head of said Allen head screw is aligned with the opening through the cap so that said screw may be removed and replaced, and when the plug is rotated substantially 90 to the open position the head of the Allen head screw is moved to the opposite end of the arcuate recess which end serves as a stop for the rotative movement of the plug; and annular sealing means in the chamber of the body in engagement with the plug.

2. A Kelly cock, comprising: 'a body having an enlarged intermediate portion, said body having an axial flow passage therethrough including an enlarged cylindrical chamber within the enlarged portion of said body, and a transverse cylindrical bore the axis of which intersects the axis of the flow passage; a cylindrical plug operably disposed in the transverse bore and having a dia metrical flow passage therethrough of substantially the same diameter as the diameter of the axial passage of the body, said plug having a socket in one end for reception of a tool for rotating same, and a bore extending longitudinally from the other end into the diametrical flow passage thereof, a portion of said longitudinal bore being internally threaded; a plug insert having external threads engageable with the threads of said bore, said plug insert being concave at its inner end and having a socket recess in its outer end and an enlarged annular head at said outer end with an arcuate, peripheral notch; a cap removably attached to said body, said cap having an annular opening therethrough for reception of the head of the plug insert and having a part about the opening therethrough which overlies the adjacent end portion of the plug and is provided at its inner side with an arcuate recess of approximately 90 in length, said plug having a tapped opening in said adjacent end; an Allen head screw in said tapped opening, the head of said screw being receivable in said arcuate recess and said arcuate notch thereby holding the plug insert against rotation, there being a hole through the cap at one end of the arcuate recess so that when said plug is rotated to a position whereat said screw head engages the end of the recess at said hole, the passage through said plug is out of communication with the axial passage of the body and the head of said Allen head screw is aligned with the opening through the cap so that said screw may be removed and replaced, and when the plug is rotated substantially 90 to the open position the head of the Allen head screw is moved to the opposite end of the arcuate recess which end serves as a stop for the rotative movement of the plug in which position the plug passage is connected with said axial passage; and annular sealing means in the chamber of the body in engagement with the plug.

3. A Kelly cock, including: a body having an enlarged intermediate portion, said body having an axial flow passage therethrough including an enlarged cylindrical chamber within the enlarged portion of said body, and a transverse cylindrical bore the axis of which intersects the axis of the flow passage; a cylindrical plu operably disposed in the transverse bore and having a diametrical flow passage therethrough of substantially the same diameter as the diameter of the axial passage of the body and registerable therewith, said plug having means at one end engageable by a tool for rotating same, and an internally' threaded bore extending longitudinally from the other end into the diametrical flow passage thereof; a plug insert having external threads engageable with the threads of said bore, said plug insert having means at its outer end for engagement by a tool, and an enlarged annular head at said outer end with a peripheral notch; a cap removably attached to said body, said cap having an annular opening therethrough for reception of the head of the plug insert and having a part about the opening therethrough which overlies the adjacent end portion of the plug and is provided at its inner side with an arcuate recess of approximately 90 in length, said plug having a tapped opening in said end; and a set screw in said tapped opening, the head of said screw being receivable in said arcuate recess and said notch thereby holding the plug insert against rotation, there being a hole through the cap at one end of the arcuate recess so that when said plug is rotated to a position whereat said screw head engages the end of the recess at the said hole, the passage through said plug is out of communication with the axial passage of the body and the head of said set screw is aligned with the opening through the cap so that said screw may be removed and replaced, and when the plug is rotated substantially 90 to the open position the head of the set screw is moved to the opposite end of the arcuate recess which end serves as a stop for the rotative movement of the plug, the diametrical passage thereof then being in register with adjacent ends of said axial flow passage.

4. A Kelly cock, including: a body having a flow passage therethrough, and a transverse cylindrical bore the axis of which intersects the axis of the flow passage; a cylindrical plug operably disposed in the transverse bore and having a diametrical flow passage therethrough of substantially the same diameter as the diameter of the axial passage of the body, and having a bore extending longitudinally from one end into the diametrical flow passage thereof and having a threaded portion, said plug being movable between a position whereat said diametrical passage thereof is aligned with said axial passage and a position whereat said diametrical passage is out of communication with said axial passage; and a plug insert having external threads engageable with the threads of said bore, said plug insert being concave at its inner end and having a socket recess in its opposite end and an enlarged annular head at said opposite end.

5. In a Kelly cock: a body having a flow passage therethrough and a transverse cylindrical bore intersecting said flow passage; a plug operably disposed in the transverse bore and having a diametrical flow passage therethrough, and a bore extending longitudinally from one end of said plug into the diametrical flow passage thereof, said plug being movable between a position whereat said diametrical passage thereof is aligned with said axial passage and a position whereat said diametrical passage is out of communication with said axial passage; a plug insert disposed in said longitudinal bore of the plug; means limiting rotative movement of the plug between the open and closed positions respectively; and means securing the plug insert against removal when the plug is in the open position and permitting removal of said plug insert when the plug is in the closed position.

6. In a Kelly cock for a drilling string: a body having a flow passage therethrough and a transverse cylindrical bore intersecting said flow passage; a complementary plug operably disposed in the transverse bore and having a diametrical flow passage therethrough, and a bore extending longitudinally from one end of said plug into the diametrical flow passage thereof for insertion of a ball into said string; a plug insert disposed in said longitudinal bore of the plug; means limiting rotative movement of the plug between the open position whereat said dia metrical fiow passage of the plug is aligned with the flow passage through the body and closed position whereat said diametrical passage of the plug is out of communication with said flow passage through the body respec- .tively; and means securing the plug insert against removal when the plug is in the open position and permitting removal of said plug insert when the plug is in the closed position.

7. In a Kelly cock: a body having a flow passage therethrough and a transverse cylindrical bore intersecting said flow passage; a plug operably disposed in the transverse bore and having a diametrical flow passage therethrough, and a bore extending longitudinally from one end of said plug into the diametrical flow passage thereof, saidplug being movable between a position whereat said diametrical passage thereof is aligned with said axial passage and a position whereat said diametrical passage is out of communication with said axial passage; a plug insert removably disposed in said longitudinal bore of the plug; and means securing the plug insert against removal when the plug is in the open position and permitting removal of said plug insert when the plug is in the closed position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 881,711 Palmer Mar. 10, 1908 1,068,280 Simpson et a1 July 22, 1913 1,586,956 Arbon June 1, 1926 2,623,226 Jones et a1 Dec. 30, 1952 2,713,909 Baker July 26, 1955 2,786,219 Meyer Mar. 26, 1957 

